Dating Culture in Argentina… “It’s a woman’s world!”
Argentina attracts over 5 million travellers each year which makes it the most popular destination in South America. Enjoying tango, football, delicious cuisine and breathtaking sceneries wouldn’t be complete without understanding Argentinians themselves. So let’s talk about the dating culture in Argentina.
What do you need to know before dating an Argentinian?
Sterling H. compares Argentine culture with USA:
“In Argentina, the people are far less cold and formal than we are. We shake hands upon introduction. They hug and kiss upon introduction. If you are male and have a close male friend or coworker, you kiss each other’s cheek at hello and goodbye. All cops kiss each other. Touching a stranger is ok. In the USA, if you touch a stranger, you might be shot.”
Argies (as Argentinians call themselves) are famous for being more emotional and expressive which makes them similar to Italians, Spaniards and Latin Americans. Some of our contributors even emphasized that dating an Argentinian has a lot in common with the countries above. Especially similar to dating an Italian (probably because of the fact that Argentina welcomed a lot of Italian migrants in the past. According to statistics, 97% of Argentinians have Europian roots).
If you are interested in dating an Argentinian, learning the Argentine body language will be very useful!
Interestingly (and importantly!) Argentinians do not like being referred to as Latinos. They feel more linked to European culture than neighbouring countries.
Anita L. confirms that:
“…you will have a hard time getting an Argentinian to say they feel Latin. Many foreigners are shocked when they see that most of the country’s population is Caucasian and doesn’t dance, nor is exotic and happy.”
Hernan M. also shares that Argentinians don’t fit into the traditional view of South Americans:
“We do consider ourselves part of Latin America, but we don’t fit in the American cliché of ‘tropical music and spicy food’. Latin America is very diverse too“.
Dating an Argentinian man
Sterling H. says that men are flirtatious which is similar to dating a French man:
“I’m a guy, so my assessment is unqualified, but Argentine men are usually confident, positive, and open-minded. They flirt with women frequently…”
We will talk more about flirting in a bit.
Gloria R. points out that Argies are less influenced by machismo culture compared to dating in Brazilian culture:
“In my experience, Argentinean men are usually less machistas than men from other parts of LATAM (Brazil, Mexico, Columbia, etc.) and Spain. It’s true that we generally insist that each part of the couple has their own life and their own circle of friends to go out with, which seems more equal to me. I’ve only ever lived with my husband, and the division of labor between us is fairly equal, though amongst my circle of friends I saw examples of everything- from stay at home dads to partners who will only do traditional manly chores like mowing the grass.”
Even though, we emphasized the similarity between European and Argentine culture there are still many differences. Juliet H. shares her experience dating an Argentinian man:
“I did date some European guys, and I can tell you the biggest difference is how timid and reserved European guys are. Argentinian men are very straightforward. They’re not going to be shy about touching you in the first date, they’ll probably make jokes about you as if they’ve known you for years. For example, they give off a more confident vibe than European guys.”
Dating An Argentinian woman
Argentinian society is less patriarchal and more equal than many Asian and African countries.
Dale S.
“I would say that the Argentine woman on average comes across as cold (I don’t mean this as an insult) compared with many other Latinas. Maybe it’s part of their culture or simply due to their uncertainty about the future. ”
Michael M. says that the feminist movement is strong:
“Women here are very independent and direct. There’s a huge feminist movement in Argentina right now, has been for years…It’s a woman’s world!”
Flirting in Argentine Culture
Flirting is an indispensable part of the dating culture in Argentina. It may seem odd or even abrasive for someone of Anglo-Saxon heritage when men approach women and start showering them with compliments and sweet talks. Men use it get women’s attention. There is even a special word for it – “chamuyar”/ “chamuyero”.
Pablo N. says:
“Being ‘chamuyero’ is the typical way of behaving for a Porteño (somebody from Buenos Aires). In Cordoba, it seems to be a lot more powerful. ”
Who Initiates in the Dating Culture in Argentina?
“In general, Argentinians don’t go on dates. They hang out with a group of friends, begin talking one on one via some social network and by the time they start going on dates, they’re probably already boyfriend/girlfriend.
Being too straightforward scares them off, unless it’s for casual sex.
Usually the man takes the first step and the culture is male-dominated, although much less than a few years ago.
Argies don’t plan much because we learn from a young age that everything is unpredictable and we have very little control over what will happen (look at our economy), so people don’t really think about their dating goals. If you ask them what their goals are, they’ll respond with “estamos viendo qué onda” (“we are testing the waters/trying to figure it out”).“
Playing hot and cold
Argentinians may tell you how wonderful you are and then you won’t hear from them for a week leaving you pondering what had just happened.
John B.
“Hot and cold is a kind of game in Argentina. Get ready for a lot of mind games. Going around in circles is so much a thing. There is even a name for it – vueltero/vueltera“
Ramsey A. gives a sarcastic remark
“…show up several hours late, or not at all. Turn your phone off. Write them from a different number a few days later.“
First Date with an Argentinian
What to wear?
Looking classy and elegant on the first date is a must in Argentina.
Ramsey A. gives a piece of advice:
“Dress to impress. First impressions are everything here.”
Arriving on Time
Being punctual is not common, especially when it comes to dates.
Kevin M.
“The woman will ALWAYS be late…this is no joke. The dates are also super late. Before I met my partner, I went on one date where she was like ‘I’m gonna shower and then I’ll be ready to go’ at 9 pm. Two hours go by … We didn’t get to the place until midnight. I’m too old for dating culture here”.
Coffee? Mate tea!
All over the world having a cup of coffee together is a typical way of spending the first date. In some countries, coffee culture is quite powerful ( eg., “fika” in Sweden; in Turkey it is also a common way to socialize with friends and loved ones).
However, in Argentina, mate culture is more popular. Yerba Mate tea is the national beverage of Argentina. An average person will consume 100L mate a year! So, learn how to drink it!
Edward M. explains:
“They love mate so much…They suck it through the straw with really hot water and some sugar. They can drink it for hours, just passing it around and everybody drinks it. Don’t mix it up! You can’t mix up the stuff, you just leave it where it is. Pour in the water, and sugar, sip it, pass it…“
Dating Sites in Argentina
The most popular dating apps in Argentina are:
- Tinder;
- Badoo – Dating. Chat. Meet;
- Bumble;
- Inner Circle;
- Glambu – Luxury dating;
Hope you liked our article on dating culture in Argentina. If you have questions or we forgot to mention something, or if you purely just loved this article, do let us know in the comments below! It motivates us to write the next one 🙂
What an interesting article. Although I am not going to be dating I think this would be really useful for women especially those traveling solo.